Spanish Basketball League (ACB) club Valencia on Wednesday presented its €18M ($20.26M) L'Alqueria del Basket facility, according to Conrado Valle of AS. The center, financed by Spanish businessman Juan Roig, covers 15,000 square meters and includes 13 courts -- nine covered and four open-air. It "aims to develop youth basketball and the values the sport fosters." Roig said, "A new infrastructure has been born in Valencia, one that will strengthen basketball in the city, in Spain and in Europe. It has taken Valencia 30 years to become champions of the ACB, and we hope it will not take as long to be the champions of Europe. ... We are providing a facility to the city that makes us proud as Valencians and as Spanish citizens." The center will be home to the 551 members of Valencia Basket's youth teams and school, with "the possibility of this number increasing to 800." L'Alqueria "will only be used by Valencia's junior teams, as the senior men's team will continue to train at La 'Fonteta.'" The new facility's annual maintenance cost will be €500,000 ($587,400) (AS, 9/27).
